Annual Passes at Disney World haven’t been sold since the parks closed in March of 2020, except in very specific cases.
Walt Disney World Annual Passholder
Disney announced at the beginning of the month that Annual Passes WOULD return before the start of the 50th-anniversary celebration! Well, now it’s time to mark your calendars! Disney World Annual Passes will go on sale again on September 8th! And we have ALL the details.
Similar to the new Magic Key system in Disneyland, Disney World’s pass system is getting a revamp.
Disney World Annual Pass
The new system will offer 4 passes: the Disney Incredi-Pass, the Disney Sorcerer Pass, the Disney Pirate Pass, and the Disney Pixie Dust Pass. We’re going to walk you through ALL of the pricing and changes here as simply as we can!
Types of Annual Passes and Pricing
Incredi-Pass Pricing
The Disney Incredi-Pass is the most expensive of the bunch at $1,299 plus tax. Florida residents can pay $99 per month for 12 months after a down payment of $205. This pass option has NO blockout dates and you can hold up to 5 park reservations at one time.
Tree of Life
Sorcerer Pass Pricing
Next up is the Disney Sorcerer Pass! This one costs $899 plus tax. Florida residents can pay $63 per month for 12 months after a $205 down payment. The Sorcerer Pass has limited blockout dates, can hold 5 park reservations at a time, and is ONLY available to Florida Residents or Disney Vacation Club Members.
Magic Kingdom
Pirate Pass Pricing
The Disney Pirate Pass will cost you $699 plus tax, with the option to pay $45 per month for 12 months after a $205 down payment for Florida residents. This pass is available only to Florida residents, has blockout dates around peak times and holidays, and can hold 4 park reservations at a time!
Welcome to EPCOT!
Pixie Dust Pass Pricing
Lastly, the Disney Pixie Dust Pass will cost $399 plus tax. Florida residents can pay $19 per month for 12 months after a $205 down payment, and the pass is only available for Florida residents. Most weekdays will be available for guests with the Pixie Dust Pass, however, it has the most blockout dates. It can still hold 3 park reservations at once.
Slinky Dog Dash
Here’s a look at these passes and prices all broken down in one graphic.
©Disney
Reservation Details
As seen above, the number of park reservations that can be held will depend on the pass type. There will also be “bonus reservations” on the calendar available for Passholders from time time, and that reservation will NOT count as part of the limit.
Let’s Go!
When Passholders stay at Disney World resorts or other select hotels, they will be able to make park reservations for each day of their stay. This is in addition to the number of reservations the pass can hold.
©Disney
There will also be enhancements to the reservation system that includes an integrated calendar that lets Passholders see blockout dates for each type of pass, view available dates, and make, modify, or cancel the park reservations all in one spot.
Customization
Passholders will also be able to customize their pass by choosing to include things like Water Parks, Sports, or Disney PhotoPass. All add-on options will be available to purchase with any of the four new passes.
There is a Water Park and Sports upgrade option for $99 plus tax and PhotoPass upgrade for $99 plus tax. These can be added to any pass type.
©Disney
In terms of the Water Park and Sports option, Annual Passholders can pay $99 (plus tax) for the year to enjoy admission to Disney’s water parks, golf courses, and more. For the duration of the Annual Pass, the Water Park and Sports Option add-on will give the guest one admission to select Disney World experiences with no blockout dates, including Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, FootGolf at Disney’s Oak Trail, and more.
©Disney
Note that there are certain restrictions, like miniature golf is only valid for one round and you can only get one miniature golf visit per guest per day. Be sure to check all of the rules and restrictions when purchasing this add-on.
When it comes to the PhotoPass add-on, for $99 (plus tax) for the year, Annual Passholders will be able to download select attraction photos and videos, Disney PhotoPass photos and videos captured from the first valid date of the pass until the pass expires, and get other benefits.
©Disney
Again, note that there are special terms that apply to the PhotoPass add-on, so be sure to check those before purchasing.
Passes will continue to offer perks and benefits including the park hopping option, standard theme park parking, and discounts on merchandise and dining. Disney also mentioned that there would be a few special surprises throughout the 50th anniversary celebration!
How This Impacts Current Annual Passes
If you are currently in your renewal period, you can choose to renew into one of the current Annual Pass options until September 7, 2021. But if you don’t renew before September 8th, your only option will be to renew into the new pass system.
Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
If you have an ACTIVE Annual Pass right now that isn’t set to expire before September 8th, you will keep your current pass and all of its benefits until it expires. So, for example, if you have a Platinum Pass that doesn’t expire until March of 2022, nothing will change for you until March. When you get into your renewal period, you will then have to renew into one of the new Annual Pass options.
Annual Pass
If you have an Annual Pass that is NOT activated, like you have a certificate for a pass, this is different. To keep this pass, you need to visit the parks and activate it by September 7th. If you do that, you will keep your pass for the next year.
©Disney
If you do NOT activate your pass by the 7th, your pass will be converted into the new Annual Pass system on September 8th. You will be given a pass that is comparable to the one you already have a certificate for, meaning you will NOT lose any of the perks included in that pass. So, if you have an unactivated pass that includes PhotoPass and the Waterparks and Sports option, you will not lose those perks. They will remain on your pass for free. Your park reservations will also not be changed or deleted.
If You Want to Upgrade Your Ticket
Have you already purchased a theme park ticket? Well, good news! Disney has shared that eligible tickets can be upgraded to select pass types. This can be done through My Disney Experience, at a theme park ticket window, or at the Disney Ticket Center at Disney Springs. You can also call Disney at 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639).
Main Street, U..SA.
Where to Purchase Annual Passes
Passes will be available for purchase on the Disney website or on the My Disney Experience app. You can also call 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639), but you may experience long wait times. You can also purchase an Annual Pass at a theme park ticket window or at the Disney Ticket Center in Disney Springs.
©Disney
But NOTE!! To help with attendance numbers, Disney will be limiting the number of Annual Passes on sale. This means the new Annual Passes CAN sell out. So, if you’re planning to purchase a pass on September 8th, be sure to set your alarms so you have a better chance of snagging one! We’ll remind you when Annual Passes go on sale, so stay tuned for the latest Disney news.
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Wow! Have they said the blockout dates for the different passes yet? Just how they differ from current ones is my question.
OHT, Disney was vague on the amount of discounts, saying “up to 20%.” We’ll have to see how it unfolds when the details are released or when folks start using the various Passes. I do see the merchandise discounts on this page are just a flat percentage, so that may be the way it is.
I just renewed my annual pass in July of this year. Will I need to now move/migrate into one of the new passes for the remainder of the year starting September 8th?
I’m not headed down until Halloween. If I get an AP on Sept. 8 to avoid them selling out, does that mean my dates are 9-8-21 to 9-7-22? Or does my AP not start until I first use it?
Do all of the new passes include Park hopping or is that additional? Iis DVC members allowed only the Sorcerer Pass or can they get the Incredi Pass? Will DVC be getting a discount on AP as they have in the past?
Will we lose our photo pass when the new ones come out or are we grandfathered in until renewed?
One of the more frustrating things about this (other than the pay more for less issue, which Disney is becoming the poster child for) …. is for us out of staters. Everything I’ve seen is for Florida residents. Any idea what’s going on there?
Are they not selling water park annual passes? Bummer, I was hoping to buy four in October.
Hi DFB – long time reader, first time commenter here.
Do you know if there will be a DVC Direct owner discount available for any of these options? That was a BIG reason we bought direct and haven’t been able to take advantage of that benefit yet.
Gil, we’re watching to see if that’s the case!
Niki, you might reach out to Disney to see if they can tell you what to expect.
And the hits just keep coming. Disney, you do not know when to quit gouging…but I’m guessing you’re about to learn.
Would really love to know what exactly was it about my first comment that made you decide not to post it – especially since you did let similar posts written later onto the comment board.
I know, it’s your sandbox. I just want to know what I’m doing wrong .
So, it costs more and the photo pass is no longer included? Seems like a downgrade rather than an upgrade.
If I currently have a platinum annual pass that I renewed in July 2021 is it still good till next July as it says in My Disney Experience or do I have to buy one of their new passes on September 8, and how many park reservations can I make? 3 like I currently can or will I get 5 since I paid the same price as the passes that give you 5? Do I keep my photo pass till next summer too since that was also included in the price of my renewal?
Am I reading this right? 5 park reservations means as many days as you want per reservation! So if I want to spend 7-10 day vacation I can get park reservations for all those days?
It looks like less for more again. The cost for the apparent equivalent of a platinum pass was increased, and then there’s an extra $99 charge for photopass
What is the actual time the passes will be available on september 8th?
i have a trip in January…. do you know are the AP dates from date of purchase or from first activation? i.e. if I buy one on Sep 8th, but don’t use it till Jan 2022, will it be good for one year from Jan 22 or from Sep 8th 2021?
I’m confused, it sounded like most of the AP’s are only for Florida residents? What about the other 49 states and the rest of the world? Do we have to buy DVC property? We have reservations for November with package park hopper tickets, I was hoping to trade them for a AP but not floridian
I’m not sure if I’m understanding the water park add on option. Is it $99 to add the water park option, but you only get to go to the water park 1 time during the entire year of your pass?
Are blackout dates posted anywhere for these new passes?
An interesting change, some good, some not so good…oh well. Is there a FL resident DVC Member discount pass. Also, how do you show residency on line… I always had to present and electric or water or tax bill to show proof of residency… ?
My daughter is in a similar situation with Eric at 12:30 pm. Her Florida pass expires in October 2021, and she just renewed it yesterday by paying full price. I was told her pass will be converted into one of the new versions when she activates it in October. They do not know yet which pass it will be converted into. It seems she will not get what she paid for yesterday
I wish Disney would have held up on all of the changes and gradually phased them into vacations. I am beginning to think there is nothing that has stayed the same as before covid. Too many changes, too much confusion can ruin any vacation. Slow down please, or better yet….just stop all the changes.
Where can we find the black-out dates for each new pass?
we are going to Disney in January, do you know if the new AP’s are active as soon as you purchase them or can they be activated later. i.e. if I purchase a AP on Sep 8th, but don’t use it until Jan 2022, is it good until Jan 2023? or is it only good till Sep 2022?
Am I reading this correctly that you can purchase Water Parks for $99 but that will only allow you to go ONE time during the entire year/life of the pass? It also looks like you have to choose between that and putt putt? Please tell me I am wrong here?!
Thanks for the news, AJ.
Not quite the gut-punch I figured chapek would deliver, but he stripped it down pretty well. No more photopass without anteing up an extra $99, or fastpass without buying an E-ticket again, or golf privileges. At least he left parking intact, which I was concerned he’d yank, trashing the whole AP idea. Agree about the once-great WDW in our memories going downhill.
We moved from out of state to 22 minutes from MK last year to live a little of our (Ok – My) dream now that the girls are starting to get out on their own. (They still have rooms here, btw!) You know – spontaneous trips after work when we wanted to walk around and maybe see a show or eat an over-priced meal. We’ve been five times in the past year; once at full-boat for the four of us (ouch!), and four more resident-ticket days. We used to charge the parks all day for 4 or 5 days in a row when the girls were little; my body doesn’t appreciate that in quite the same way these days! I think doing the parks for your young kids is something of a pain-blocker.
Now looking forward to strolling around to see what we missed dashing hither and yon. We hope the Magic will return when we’re local APs.
What’s missing in this specific announcement is that discounts are also changing. If you buy the most expensive pass you can have 20% off merchandise but if you buy any of the other passes you only get 10% off merchandise. The same goes for dining discounts.
What are the blockout dates for each?
Annual pass program is back… great! Much better to use, besides only live couple hours away.. and yes I would go on weekdays.. less crowded
So, I was comparing price for one of our planned trips with or without a ticket package. Trying to decide on purchasing an annual pass. Totally unrelated, I was able to pull up information about the Disney dining plans, including one I wasn’t aware of: the Disney dining plan plus. With this plan, you get 2 meals a day and can chose either quick service or sit down, plus 2 snacks. Has anyone else seen this? Does it mean the dining plans a getting closer to returning?
I am sickened by this
I’m a DVC member I’m an annual pass holder and they continue to make me question why
I was just able to renew when we were there a month ago and now your telling me that my contract is void come Sept 8? I’ll have to pay more or else???
Called today and my current AP remains the same till it’s time to renew. Hopefully they will revamp the system as our two passes will go up from $135 a month to $200 a month. OMG.
So, if I’m reading this correctly, you need to be a Florida resident to purchase any of the 4 passes available?
This makes me so sad! Seems they don’t care about the pass holders that come 5-6 times per year. I don’t even know what to think 😢.
What does it mean by 5 day park reservations? If I have an 8 day trip plan can I use my pass for the additional 3 days if I am staying on property? What are bonus reservations? Also, does is my start day the day I purchase or my first day I’m in the park using the ticket?
Not sure if I read this correctly… if you are staying on property in a Disney hotel… you can make park reservations for each day of your stay? So if you are coming from Australia and staying for 14 days, you can make up to 14 park reservations? Because otherwise, just having 5 reservations, and then trying to book more one at a time as you use one of the 5 during your stay would not be practical I think. Just trying to see if I understood it correctly… Disney hotel stays can book park reservations for each day of their stay, in advance?
Never done Annual Passes before but considering it now. We are not FL residents so would an AP for all ages be $1,299 plus tax? Specifically wondering if there is any difference in kid vs adult pricing for an AP. Also, to add Memory Maker/PhotoPass to the AP, does the $99 (plus tax) cover the whole year, no matter the number of visits or days in park? Does Memory Maker need to be added per person?
So many questions, sorry!
Lindy, I believe it is $1299 per person, even for kids 3-9 years old. As for the PhotoPass add-on: Disney hasn’t specified, but my team agrees you could likely add it just for one person, and when you take a PhotoPass pic, you’d scan that person’s card to attach the photos to their My Disney Experience account. If you think your party would be split up a lot for pics, you may want more than one, but regardless of how many you buy, Disney has said the PhotoPass add-on will be good from the first day you activate your Annual Pass until the day your Annual Pass expires — so a full year.
Kirsty, you’re understanding it correctly. Disney specified that Annual Passholders with Resort stays can book Disney Park Pass for the full length of their Resort stays.
Carrie, you can book Disney Park Pass reservations for each day of your Disney Resort stay when you have an Annual Pass — Disney clarified that on their site. Disney has not added any more info to the “bonus” reservations, so we will have to wait for that info and update. Your Annual Pass should be active from the first day it is activated in person — at a park ticket window or the Disney Ticket Center in Disney Springs.
Nick, the Incredi-Pass can be purchased by anyone. The Sorcerer Pass can be purchased by FL residents and DVC Members. The Pixie Dust and Pirate Passes are just for FL residents. Disney did include info about FL residents’ option to pay over 12 months, which might be what is confusing some folks.
Mike, I think you’re good if you just renewed. Current Passholders who can renew by September 7 will be renewed into a current Pass option. Our understanding is you’ll be keeping that current Pass tier until the next time you need to renew (in a year). At that time you’ll renew into whatever Pass works for you.
Aaron, the Disney Dining Plan Plus was revealed in early 2020 (right before the Parks closed), and unfortunately Disney hasn’t released a timeline for the return of the DDP. They have said it will be returning, so we’re actively watching for that information.
Amy, if you click on Read More under each Annual Pass description on this page, you can see links to the calendars.
Bubba, thanks for reaching out. We aren’t seeing this in the official info from Disney, but if we do, we’ll report on it.
Linda, on this page, click on Read More under each Pass description. There’s a link to the blockout calendar for each Pass type.
Howard, we expect they’ll follow the old AP rule that says it must be activated onsite and is active from activation, not from purchase. But you might want to confirm this with Disney directly since I haven’t seen it in their info (or the fine print).